Sleep Paralysis or ....?

There's been a lot of anti-political rants lately, and being part of the problem I've decided to go down memory lane and share an experience that I
had some odd 12 or so years ago. It was on this night that I discovered ATS and ultimately began my "spiritual" journey of knowledge and
enlightenment.

Let me start off by saying I've had sleep paralysis for as long as I can remember, ever since I was a child. It was quite prevalent throughout most
of my childhood, I would get it consistently almost daily for weeks at a time. For me I remember being confused more than anything. Other than being
completely immobilized, being unable to scream or call for help and what felt like suffocating to death everytime I tried to catch my breathe, it was
actually never a scary experience. It was the norm to me, I had gone through it so much that I knew exactly what was happening, what to expect and
even created my own little routine that I would go through. Wiggle my toes and fingers as much as I could and take as deep and sharp breathes as I
could through my nostrils. Eventually after what felt like an eternity I would always will my way out and free myself without failure. Even after
hundreds and hundreds of episodes, the true nature of what is happening is still unclear to me.

Fast forward to my late teens, it has died down a bit but I was still getting it ever so often. Never gave it much thought, never wondered for
answer's and pretty much just went through the motions. Until this one episode.

It started off as it always did, "waking" up and realizing it's happening again so I begin to start my routine. Wiggle wiggle. In the middle of
this, something happened that had never happened before, I heard my sister's voice. It was quite inaudible but it was clearly her voice, so I tried
to call out for her but of course I could only muster the strength to cry out a very feint moan. That's when I saw a shadow casually walk by my door
outside in the lighted hallway, and almost immediately it turned back and entered my room, this time with another shadow. I think this was the first
time I felt fear during an episode and from this point on I don't even remember if I was still struggling to breathe or not, I just remember laying
as still as possible. They had no visible features and from what I can remember, they were quite small, maybe 4-5 feet. I remember watching them walk
around my room, almost as if they were looking for something, then they both approached the side of my bed and just stood there. They were inches from
me and I remember being terrified at this point, trying not to move or make a sound. This is where it gets really strange. They both started to walk
down my bed and just as they were about to turn the corner of my bed, they both instantly ran in fear (even though they were featureless it was
clearly fear) and at this exact moment I felt something grab my leg. I went into something I can only describe as a seizure, it was so intense that I
woke up to full consciousness during the seizure. I remember still shaking, my leg was hanging off the bed, I was sweating profusely and my heart rate
was sky high.

Side note: my door was open and the hallway lights were in fact on, but I always sleep with my door closed and lights off. Was it closed and off that
night for certain? Couldn't tell you. I also lived alone too, so hearing my sister's voice was strange.

Needless to say I hopped right out of bed, ran to my living room and went straight on my laptop looking for answers. Hello ATS. I don't think I slept
in my room that entire week and I always made sure to tuck my feet in carefully, even now. I am now 30 and I haven't had an episode for about 5
years, it seems it has completely gone away. Other than this one episode I've never experienced anything remotely paranormal.

Now I've had a lot of time to ponder what really happened that night, and I've done extensive research and read many other stories and I'll say
that I'm lucky to have experienced this only once. The only thing that is still with me today is figuring out what grabbed me. Was it benevolent or
malevolent? Was it saving me from those shadows or claiming me for himself?

I won't get in too deep as to what I think happened and I'm not here looking for answers either. I just wanted to share this experience because it
was such a profound life changing moment for me. It lead me down a path of true enlightenment and ultimately shaped who I became in so many different
ways. Was this supposed to happen to me? I don't know for certain, but I can say that ever since I woke up that night, I've been "awake" ever
since.

This phenomena has always intrigued me. I have never personally experienced it, perhaps because I don't sleep on my back. I have always slept on my
sides.
Whatever the case may be, the phenomena is interesting because it does give one pause as to what is going on when a person experience such as sleep
paralysis. I watched a documentary called "Nightmare" which only made me ponder more. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Well of course it / they are real, they are real in your dreams. Is there any waking threat in the real world that you associate with these dream
entities?

Any misfortune, or physical harm that you directly associate with these dream beings?

I don't mean your fear or worry from the dream memory, but actual bad stuff that happens to you while you are awake during the day.

I don't remember much immediately after except being glued to my laptop for the whole week. I haven't experienced anything prior or since. I mean
everyone has misfortunes of some sort but I wouldn't attribute it to this experience.

Yes I watched that, i think I've watched and read all there is about paralysis. It definitely is intriguing and if there's one thing I learned, it's
that we don't know as much as we think and anything is possible.

The shadowman with the fedora hat, I've seen him in my bedroom in the middle of the night. After my research on the net I discovered that countless
people have also seen him, until this day I still can't believe what I saw. On topic: I've had many demonic nightmares in my life but I'm really glad
I never experienced a sleep paralysis, I hope it stays this way lol.

Other than this one episode, I'm lucky my sleep paralysis is quite normal. Other people have much more terrifying and horrific stories. Some of the
scariest ones I've heard are people waking up to an old lady sitting on top of them up close face to face. That's freaky as hell..

I just don't know. I really don't. For me, what made it so incredibly shaking was the fact that I didn't realize people saw a hatman figure until like
14 years after I saw it/him. Then I went research crazy on the net. He kinda looked like the comic sandman. It was intense

Exactly, but I understand why many people call it a trickery of the mind. I, myself was also very sceptical before having this experience. People
won't believe stuff like this until they experience something similar and I can't blame them for that. This experience has made me much more open
minded towards the concept of a spirtual world...

Mom10/13/2016 07:10:18 pm My daughter experienced the "Hat Man" when she was about 11. Several times she ran out of her room screaming because she
woke up with him staring at her while she was in bed. Our house was haunted but not by anything sinister, that I knew of. But this scared me. We
finally went into her room and told whatever it was to leave, this was our house and it needed to go. She never saw him again. To see so many people
experience the same thing really gives you pause.

Spencer11/1/2014 04:07:22 pm The Hat Man visited me 3 or 4 times when i was 9 years old. I'm 57 now. I remember like it was yesterday. But I hadn't
thought about it for many many years until someone on coast to coast am w/ George Noorey mentioned shadow people and the Hat Man. That got my
attention FAST!!! My experience was like so many others. Wake up late at nite. Dark figure of a man in a trench coat and that hat. Standing in the
doorway observing me. and i could tell he was really there but not. I couldn't see thorough him but he didn't seem solid. If that makes any sense??
And he would just stand there. That's all he ever did. I got the idea for some reason that he was of some importance that i couldn't comprehend. I
always pulled the covers over my head when i got tired of looking at him. I would still like to know what the hell the Hat Man is all about. I'm
amazed that it is reported world wide.

Reply gross2/26/2015 02:44:30 pm He is the law on this earth he will do anything he wishes. He made the stars he moves stars he's made of matter.

Mark4/10/2015 07:30:57 am I too have been visited by the Hat Man. He came to me in my dreams on countless nights. Even now at the age of 42 he fills
me with fear. I would always be running in a field, close to a tall hedge. It was winter and you could see through the hedge and into the next field.
The hat man was on the other side and always there no matter how fast I ran. I was terrified. Years later speaking to my Sister, she to had the same
dream! However there is 15 years between us.

Patrick4/25/2015 07:59:53 am The first time I saw the Hat Man I was the 7 years old I have seen him off and on for 19 years all he dose is point at me
and tip his hat I still don't know y he follows me and what he wants but the hat man is real.

Melissa5/5/2015 05:18:22 pm OMG!!....I had EXACTLY the same experience when I was about 10 years old....I'm 42 now....but I still remember it like it
was yesterday....The dark shadow figure in a black three piece suit with a tall black top hat and holding a black cane stood at my bedroom door....I
pulled the covers over my head and literally prayed "God....make him go away and protect me"....I was too scared to scream....I have always wanted to
know what it/he was....and "Why me?" lol

nellylink5/25/2015 01:59:12 am ive been seeing this m an throughtout my entire life im really frightend that this thing can hurt me I haven't tiold my
family about this expireience but im pretty sure its ging to hurt me sooner or later im really scared because it keeps getting closer and closer every
single day I don't konow what to do I need help......someone please help me.....

Melly7/12/2015 02:13:21 pm Your comment sound exactly the san as my childhood story except for he also came to me in my dreams. We were always in an
alleyway and he was standing still starring at me but he never moved. Did you have similar dreams? michael breeden

7/25/2015 06:20:10 am I have a meeting with this thing in early oct. I have been wondering why i have been chosen for this and with my lifes history
,it has made me an angry oldman, and i have alot of pent up adrenulin waiting to come out. My nephew has had several runnins with this man and he has
now beens seen with a dog. Ted eyes shaped like a rotwieler with a spear shaped tail.

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.